Volodymyr Zelensky hails talks with Donald Trump as Ukraine, Russia trade drone attacks
President Volodymyr Zelensky says he has discussed Russian attacks on the Ukrainian energy system in a “positive and productive” call with US President Donald Trump as Russia and Ukraine launched drone strikes on each other.
“We discussed opportunities to bolster our air defence, as well as concrete agreements that we are working on to ensure this. There are good options and solid ideas on how to truly strengthen us,” Mr Zelensky wrote on X.
“There needs to be readiness on the Russian side to engage in real diplomacy - this can be achieved through strength.”
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Ukrainian drones struck Russia’s Bashneft oil refinery in Ufa, causing explosions and a fire, a source in Ukraine’s SBU security service told Reuters on Saturday.
“This is the third SBU deep strike in Bashkortostan in the last month - 1400km from Ukraine. Such strikes demonstrate that there are no safe places in the deep rear of the Russian Federation,” the source said.
Dozens of towns in Ukraine’s southern Odessa region on the Black Sea were without power after Russian drone attacks overnight, local Ukrainian authorities said, as two energy sector employees were killed in the northern region of Chernihiv.
Damage was inflicted on energy infrastructure in the city of Odessa and the surrounding region, according to civil defence officials and the public prosecutor’s office.
In the regional capital, fires broke out in an energy plant and a three-storey building belonging to a hotel and restaurant complex.
One woman was injured and two people were rescued, officials said.
A total of 41 towns in the region were left without power.
Two energy company workers were killed in a Russian drone attack in the Chernihiv region, civil defence authorities said.
The drones struck the company’s service vehicles in the area of Semenivka, which is near the border with Russia, according to a post on Telegram.
In total, Russia attacked Ukraine in the north, south and east with 78 drones during the night, according to the Ukrainian air force.
The Russian defence ministry said missiles were used in addition to drones.
It said the targets were the transport and energy infrastructure used by the Ukrainian armed forces.
with DPA
